§ Miss Joan Lestorasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what would be the recurrent and initial capital cost of providing nursery education for all 3 and 4-year-olds.
§ Dr. BoysonThe present expenditure plans allow for current and capita**l expenditure on education for under-fives of £254 million and £12 million respectively in 1982–83. By reference to unit costs, the additional recurrent cost of extending provision nursery education to the entire 3 and 4-year-old age group is estimated to be approximately £425 million and the initial capital cost between £800 million and £1 billion. These estimates make no allowance for any economies of scale or, in the case of capital expenditure, for the use of surplus accommodation.